A proposal to significantly upgrade Rotorua's wastewater treatment plant could cost ratepayers $37 million over 35 years.
Councillors will discuss a report outlining a preliminary preferred option to the Whakarewarewa Land Treatment System at a meeting of the Rotorua Lakes Council's Strategy, Policy and Finance committee today.
The proposal couldalso see "highly treated effluent" being discharged back into Lake Rotorua at Sulphur Bay (Te Arikiroa), but not before a public consultation process is held. In his report, the council's water planning manager Greg Manzano said "as a result of ongoing tangata whenua concerns regarding the impact of the current wastewater land treatment and disposal system on the Puarenga [stream] catchment, an Environment Court Order in early 2013 saw council begin an investigation into alternative disposal methods for its treated urban wastewater".
Since then the council and CNI Iwi Holdings signed a deed which will see an end to the spraying of treated wastewater in the Whakarewarewa Forest by the end of 2019.
The Rotorua Project Steering Committee (RPSC) was formed about 18 months ago and was tasked with identifying and evaluating all alternative options to the Whakarewarewa Land Treatment System and recommend a preferred option to the council.
The RPSC is represented by members of the council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Toi Te Ora, Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Rotorua Lakes Community Board, CNI, Timberlands and representatives from all hapu around the lake.
The RPSC's preliminary preferred option is to upgrade the existing plant to a full Membrane Bioreactor Plant with the addition of an Ultraviolet Disinfection System.
The highly treated effluent would then be discharged to the existing drain at Sulphur Bay (Te Arikiroa) through a cascading flow arrangement after passing through a land contact treatment area.
If the recommendation is approved by councillors today, the council will go out for a full public consultation process on the preliminary preferred option. Ongoing operational costs would be funded by targeted rates.
The Rotorua Lakes Council must find an alternative to its current Whakarewarewa Forest Land Treatment effluent disposal system - A preliminary preferred option will be put to councillors today - It could see treated effluent discharged into Lake Rotorua at Sulphur Bay (Te Arikiroa) - It could result in a major upgrade of the city's Waste Water Treatment Plant - It could cost around $27 million, increasing to $37 million over 35 years - Capital costs would be funded by debt - Operational costs would be funded by targeted rates - The project has been factored in to the council's Long-term Plan - The council will consult the public on the project if councillors agree to go ahead with it
